What should I do when a sales lead comes in?

If you’re a real estate agent or developer, getting leads is a challenge. Unless, of course, you’re using Dot Property where our listings receive a market leading number of leads each month. Once you have leads coming in, you are going to have to nurture them.

This nurturing converts leads into sales and takes real estate agencies and developers to the next level. Next time a lead comes in, don’t panic or get too excited. Instead, take a deep breath and do these three things.

3 tips to successfully handle a lead

1) Respond quickly

The first hurdle is where many real agents fall when it comes to nurturing a lead. Instead of responding immediately, they sit on it for a few days or, even worse, ignore it completely. Why they do this, we’ll never know, but if someone shows interest in the property you’re selling, get back to them as soon as possible.

This response doesn’t need to be overly verbose or even answer all of the lead’s questions. But you should thank them for their interest and indicate a time frame in which you will respond more in depth. It takes less than a minute and could be the key to making the sale.

2) Ask questions

The only way you can truly help a lead is by knowing what they want, how much they are willing to spend and any special requests they may have. Not every lead that comes in is going to want the property they inquire about. However, you can always provide them with good alternatives if you know what they are looking for.

This can only be done by asking questions. So, when you call or sit down with the person who has inquired about a property you represent, take some time to get to know them on a personal level and learn more about what they are actually searching for.

3) Guide them through the process

From viewings to making an offer to closing the sale, you need to be an ever-present figure during the process. Buying a property, whether it is for investment or end use, can be a taxing experience. It is up to you to help them get over the line. To this end, it is always better to assist a sales lead instead of telling them what to do.

About the author

Cheyenne Hollis is Editor-in-Chief at Dot Property Group and Thailand Property. He has more than six years experience covering real estate in Southeast Asia and China. You can reach him at cheyenne@dotpropertygroup.com